Testimonials

Vermont Academy: Saxton’s River, VT

Vermont Academy is a small New England college preparatory school where learning by doing, learning in nature, and learning in a supportive and safe environment successfully prepares students for a future of their own making. We are trailblazers of the future. We are leaning into educational innovation and defining ourselves clearly as a school of the future. The Vermont Academy Way is all about student-centeredness and offering students the opportunity to experience the joy of discovery.

“I have worked with Matt for over five years. Beyond being exceptionally knowledgeable, skilled and efficient regarding all-things-Blackbaud, he is also patient and kind. When I have felt as if things were in crisis, he is quick to respond, to resolve the issue, and provide peace of mind. He is such an asset to any school.”

—Mike Peller, Head of School

Hillbrook School: San Jose, CA

Hillbrook provides an extraordinary educational experience that fosters a love of learning in our students and helps them develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to achieve their highest individual potential in school and in life. At Hillbrook, students are known, respected, and valued as individuals, and every day is a journey of self-discovery, imaginative thinking, creative problem solving, laughter, and friendship.

“Working with Matthew has been a game-changer. He deeply understands the backend of Blackbaud and can take even the vaguest issue, clarify it better than I can articulate, and then fix it — usually within hours. He’s saved our team countless hours (and sometimes days) of troubleshooting. What stands out most is his ability to bridge technical expertise with clear communication; he doesn’t just solve the problem, he helps you understand it. Matthew is dependable, easy to work with, and an absolute expert. I’d recommend him to any school looking for a consultant who can make complex systems work the way they’re supposed to.”

— Bill Selak, Director of Technology, Hillbrook School

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School: Chicago IL

mothermcauley.org

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School is an independent Catholic all-girls high school in Chicago, rooted in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. Serving approximately 830 students, the school emphasizes academic excellence, faith formation, and leadership development.

“We had the pleasure of working with Matt Drown during our Blackbaud implementation, first as our principal consultant through Blackbaud and later as an independent consultant. From the very beginning, he brought clarity and expertise to a complicated transition. He successfully resolved a number of issues inherited from our initial setup, including a significant configuration error that prevented our honors students from receiving the correct GPA weighting--something that would have had a real impact on student records without his help.

As we entered our second year on Blackbaud, we chose to continue partnering with him because of his deep knowledge, calm approach, and ability to untangle complex workflows quickly and effectively. He explains concepts in a way that is both clear and respectful, never talking down to our team and always making us feel supported

I would highly recommend Matt to any school beginning its Blackbaud journey or looking to make better use of tools they haven’t yet fully implemented. His expertise and professionalism have been invaluable to us.”

— Lauren Dowden, Director of Technology, Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

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